Modular display bin



March 11, 1969 v. F. ANDERSON MODULAR DISPLAY BIN Sheet Filed June 9,1967' F l G. l

INVENTORI VICTOR F. ANDERSON H-- IS AGENT F I G. 2

March 11, 1969 v. F. ANDERSON 3, 3 ,0

MODULAR D I S PLAY B IN Filed June 9, 1967 Sheet of 2 FIG. 3

INVENTOR.

VICTOR F. ANDERSON BY'. Q z u HIS AGENT United States Patent 4 ClaimsABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A modular container may be constructed from asingle injection molded sheet of plastic material by molding integralhinges, tabs and slots. When the panels are folded into respectivepositions to form the sides and bottom of a generally cubical container,the abutting edges of the panels are secured together with tabs havingbarbs that are integrally formed on one of each cooperative set ofabutting edges. The other edge of each cooperative set of abutting edgesis provided with slots into which the barbed tabs are inserted. Thewidth of a tab barb is slightly greater than the width of a cooperativeslot so the barb may be inserted in the slot with slight deformation ofeither the barb or the slot or both.

This invention relates generally to retail merchandise displaycontainers. More specifically, the invention relates to displaycontainers having a minimum number of separate elements that may bedis-assembled and compactly stored when not in use.

Merchandise bins or containers are used in supermarkets, drug stores,hotels and motels to display quantities of small articles or magazinesfor sale. According to one design, such display bins are injectionmolded as a composite unit from a thermoplastic material in a shape thatallows storage in nested stacks. By another design, a display bin isassembled from four or more separate panel sections that are securedtogether at their edges by fasteners.

Such prior art designs of display bins have many drawbacks includingexcessive bulk, expense, or a multiplicity of essential parts subject toloss or mutilation. It is there fore an object of this invention toprovide a collapsible display bin that is inexpensively fabricated toform a single injection molded sheet having integral hinges, tabs andslots and requires only one other part, a reinforcing and mountingbrace, for securing the assembled bin to a structural member. Anotherobject of this invention is to provide a display bin that may becollapsed to the volume of a single panel thickness for stacking andstorage.

The collapsible display bin of the present invention may comprise aT-shaped sheet of plastic material having fold integral hinges extendingtransversely across the bar and leg of the T to delineate side andbottom bin panels. (The fold integral hinges are merely strips molded inthe sheet having a reduced thickness to allow ease of bending of thesheet along the line of the strip.) The bin may be formed with three orfour side panels depending on whether an open front is desired for easeof access to flat lying articles such as magazines. To assemble the binfrom the composite molded sheet, the panels are folded along the foldlines until the panel formed on the extremities of the T bar and leg arein abutting alignment. Tabs, which protrude beyond the lateral edges ofthe T leg, for example, are provided with barb elements on the outeredge thereof. These tabs are pressed into slots formed along theco-operatively abutting lateral edge of the T bar so that the barb ofthe tabs hook the opposite side of the sheet. A positive structurallatch or fastening of the co-operative edges together is achievedthereby.

The assembled bin may be secured to a structural column or supportmember by fixing an angle brace to the outside of the base and backpanels. No separate fasteners are required since channel guides areprovided as integrally molded elements of one of back and base panels toreceive one leg of the angle bracket. The other leg of the angle braceis merely pressed into clip means that are integrally molded on theoutside of the back and base panels.

The angle brace, preferably being fabricated of metal such as steel oraluminum, is of suflicient structural strength to receive fasteners suchas nails, screws or hooks to a structural support such as a freestanding column or wall.

The invention will be further described with respect to the drawingswherein:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of the assembled container;

FIGURE 2 is a plan view of the unassembled container molded sheet;

FIGURE 3 is a partial sectional view of the tab members taken across cutlines 3-3 of FIGURE 2;

FIGURE 4 is a partial sectional view of the slots taken across cut lines4-4 of FIGURE 2;

FIGURE 5 is a partial sectional view of the bottom support leg of theangle brace in secure position with co-operative clip members takenacross cut lines 5-5 of FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 6 is a partial sectional view of the back side support leg of theangle brace in secure position with cooperative guide members takenacross cut lines 6-6 of FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 7 is a partial sectional view of a reduced thickness section ofthe integral hinge taken across cut lines 7-7 of FIGURE 2; and

FIGURE 8 is a partial sectional view of the reinforcing rib portion ofthe integral sheet bottom panel taken across cut lines 8-8 of FIGURE 2.

With respect to FIGURE 2 of the drawing, the disassembled container isshown as a single, integral molded sheet of plastic material 10. Thesheet 10 is generally in the shape of a T and comprises four or fivepanel sections 11-15. The presence of panel 15 is optional depending onwhether a front side panel is desired. If the bin is to be used formagazines or similar flat laying articles, convenience of access maydictate the omission of panel 15.

Panel 12 may constitute the bottom of the bin whereas panels 11, 13, 14and 15 constitute sides when the T- shaped sheet member 10 is folded toan assembled unit as shown in FIGURE 1.

Between adjacent edges of respective panels are fold lines 1649. Foldline 17 between panels 11 and 13 is typical and is illustrated inenlarged cross-sectional detail in FIGURE 7.. It Will be seen fromFIGURE 7 that the fold line 17 is a web of plastic material integralwith the sheet 10 interconnecting adjacent edges 20 and 21 of panels 11and 13 respectively. Fold line web 17 has a the sheet 10 interconnectingadjacent edges 20 and 21 of the sheet 10 thickness B. The width of foldline web 17 F may be approximately thirty percent of the sheet 10thickness B. For purposes of illustration, however, the dimension F hasbeen shown as greater than the sheet thickness B.

To reinforce the bottom panel 12, a channel section 22 may be upset inthe plane thereof as shown in FIGURE 8. For a bottom panel 12 having 5edges fabricated from 0.100 in. plastic sheet, the channel 22 may have adepth G of A and a width H of Y for example.

The lateral edges 23 and 24 of the leg portion of the T-shaped sheet 10are provided with tab members 29 which project beyond the base line ofthe edges 23 and 24 in the same plane of the panels 12 and 15. Tabmembers 29 are integrally formed with the molded sheet 10 and areprovided with barbed outer edges 30 as shown in FIGURE 3. The width D ofthe barb 30 may be approximately fifty percent greater than thethickness C of the sheet .10 whereas the projection length B of the barbas measured from the edge 23 base line to the barb flare should be equalto the sheet 10 thickness.

Edges 25 and 27 and 26 and 28 on the cross-bar of the T-shaped sheet 10respective to panels 13 and 14 are provided with slots 31. Asillustrated in detail at FIGURE 4, the width C of the slots 31 isgreater than the thickness B of the sheet 10, thirty percent forexample, but less than the thickness D of the barb 30. The length ofeach slot 31 may be equal to the length of the tabs 29 as measuredparallel with the edge 23 base line.

On the side of panel sections 11 and 12 opposite from the side thatconstitutes the interior of the assembled bin when the sheet 10 is inthe folded and assembled condition, means are provided to secure anangle brace 32 thereto. The angle brace 32 constitutes a structuralreinforcement for the assembled bin and also serves as a means to securethe bin to a free standing column, or wall, not shown.

The means to secure the upright leg 33 of the brace 32 to the back sideof panel 11 are a plurality of bracket members 35. With reference toFIGURE 6, the bracket members 35 are formed with a projecting leg 36having one edge integral with the outer side of the panel 11 portion ofsheet member 10. The other edge of projecting leg 36 is integral withone edge of the lateral leg 37 of bracket member 35. The bracket members35 are arranged in oppositely facing pairs so as to form a channel 38 toreceive upright leg 33 of angle brace 32 when positioned co-planar withthe outer side of the panel 11 and moved axially therealong.

The means to secure the horizontal leg 34 of angle brace 32 to the outerside of bottom panel portion 12 are a plurality of oppositely facingclip members 39 as seen in FIGURES l and 5. Clip members 39 areintegrally formed with the sheet member 10 and are provided with lateralprojections 40 which seat in longitudinal grooves 41 formed in thelateral edges of brace leg 34. Preferably, horizontal brace leg 34 is ofextruded cross-section as illustrated in FIGURE for greater structuralstrength and rigidity.

Angle brace 32 may be formed by securing, welding for example, one endof horizontal leg 34 to a side of upright leg 33. A portion 42 ofupright leg 33 may be allowed to project beyond the juncture ofhorizontal leg 34 and provided with apertures 43, for example, toreceive fastener means such as nails, screws or hooks to secure the binaddition assembly to a free standing column or wall.

As may be seen from FIGURE 2, a number of unassembled bins may be storedwhen not in use in a very compact, volumetrically efficient manner bystacking them as flat sheets.

When assembly of a bin is desired, a single sheet member is folded alongfold hinge lines 16-19 to form the bottom and four sides of a bin. Thetab members 29 along the edge 23 of bottom panel 12 are inserted inslots 31 along the edge 25 of panel 13. Similarly, tabs 29 along edge 24of bottom panel 12 are inserted in slots 31 along edge 26 of panel 14 toform the bottom, back and two sides of an open ended bin when thecross-bar portion of the sheet 10 T-shaped comprising panels 11, 13 and.14 is folded along line 16 normal to the plane of the T-leg comprisingpanels 12 and and the panels 13 and 14 are folded along lines 17 and 18to a position where edges 25 and 26 parallel edges 23 and 24respectively.

If an open ended bin is desired OI the dispensing of flat layingarticles such as magazines, the panel 15 is omitted in the fabricationof sheet 10 and the bin assembly is complete as described above.

If four sides are to be provided for the bin, panel 15 is folded alongline 19 until edges 23 and 24 are parallel with edges 27 and 28 ofpanels 13 and 14 respectively. Tab members 29 are then inserted in slots31 along said respective edges by plastically deforming one interioredge of slots 31, for example, to allow the passage of barb 30 beyondthe outer plane of the respective panels. The flare of bar 30 bearingagainst the outer plane of said panels inhibits the retraction of saidtabs, removal requiring considerably greater force than insertion.

To mount the assembled bin on a free standing column or wall, uprightleg portion 33 of angle brace 32 is slidably inserted in the channel 38between oppositely facing bracket members 35 along the outer side ofback panel 11 until the horizontal leg 34 of brace 32 engages thelateral projections 40 of clips 39 on the outer side of bottom panel 12.By applying additional force against the horizontal leg 34, lateralprojections 40 are plastically deformed until they align with thelongitudinal grooves 41. The bin and brace assembly is then mounted on acolumn or wall by inserting nail, screw or hook fasteners, for example,through apertures 43 in the projecting portion 42 of upright leg 33.

As many of such bin assemblies may be mounted vertically on a wall orcolumn as is desired.

Numerous modifications of the present invention may be envisioned bythose of ordinary skill in the art such as providing a double flare onbarbs 30 of tab members 29 or reversing the relationship of tabs 29 andslots 31 so as the tabs 29 will be on edges 25, 26, 27 and 29 and viceversa. It is also possible to form angle brace receiving channel 38 byproviding a continuous web between opposite leg projections 36.

I claim as my invention:

1. A collapsible container comprising first, second, third and fourthpanel portions, said portions being formed on a single integral plasticsheet member, said second panel portion having a first edge .adjacent afirst edge of said first panel portion, said third panel portion havinga first edge adjacent a second edge of said first panel portion, saidfourth panel portion having a first edge adjacent a third edge of saidfirst panel portion, the portion of said sheet member connecting saidfirst edges of said second, third and fourth panel portions with saidfirst, second and third edges of said first panel portion forming hingesbetween respectively adjacent edges, said second panel portion havingsecond and third edges, said third panel portion having .a second edge,said fourth panel portion having a second edge, said second edge of saidthird panel portion and said second edge of said fourth panel portionbeing disposed with respect to said hinges whereby said third and fourthpanel portion second edges form an abutting juncture with said secondand third edges respectively of said second panel portion when saidsecond, third and fourth panel portions are folded along said hingestoward the same side of the plane of said first panel portion and at apredetermined angle thereto, the abutting edges of said second and thirdpanel portions and said second and fourth panel portions havingreleasable securing means therebetween, said securing means comprisingtab members secured to one of the co-operative abutting edges and slotmembers in the other of said co-operative abutting edges, said tabmembers having barb means projecting laterally beyond the plane of saidtab members, the width of said slot members being greater than theplanar thickness of said tab members but less than the distance betweenextremities of said barb means as measured perpendicular to the plane ofsaid tab member, and brace means releasably secured to said first andone of said other panel portions whereby said assembled container may besecured to a structural support member, said brace member comprisingfirst and second strip members, one end of said second strip memberbeing secured to said first strip member whereby the plane of said firststrip member is adjacently parallel to the plane of said first panelportion when the plane of said second strip member is adjacentlyparallel with the plane of said other panel portion, one of said firstand said other panel portions having bracket guide means projecting fromthe plane and on the outer side thereof, said bracket guide meansreceiving said first strip member when the plane thereof is alignedadjacently parallel with the outside plane of said panel portion andwhen said bracket is moved axially into slidable engagement between saidguide means and said one panel portion, and the second of said first andsaid other panel portions having clip means projecting from the planeand on the outerside thereof, said clip means receiving said secondstrip member when said first strip member is slidably received by saidguide means, said second strip member having channel means along thelongitudinal edges thereof, said clip means engaging said channel meansby plastic deformation when said second strip member is forcedthereagainst.

2. Apparatus as described by claim 1 wherein said sheet member comprisesa fifth panel portion, said fifth panel portion having a first edgeadjacent a fourth edge of said second panel portion, said fifth panelportion first edge being hingeably secured to said second panel portionfourth edge, said fifth panel portion also having a second edge and athird edge, said third and fourth panel portions having third edges,said second and third edges of said fifth panel portion and said thirdedges of said third and fourth panel portions respectively disposed toform an abutting juncture when said second edges of said third andfourth panel portions are abuttingly joined with said second and thirdedges of said second panel portion and said fifth panel portion isfolded along the hinge connection with said second panel portion towardthe same side of the plane of said second panel portion as said firstpanel portion is folded, said abutting edges of said fifth and thirdpanel portions and said fifth and fourth panel portions having saidreleasable securing means therebetween.

3. Apparatus as described by claim 1 wherein said sheet member isfabricated from thermoplastic material.

4. Apparatus as described by claim 1 wherein the hinge portions of saidsheet member between respectively adjacent edges are of reducedthickness.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,224,822 12/1965 Kirby 220-31 X3,236,410 2/1966 Swartz 220-62 FOREIGN PATENTS 963,839 7/1964 GreatBritain. 541,753 6/ 1957 Canada.

JOSEPH R. LECLA'IR, Primary Examiner. I. R. GARRETT, Assistant Examiner.

US. Cl. X.R. 220-18, 62; 229-16

